An outdoor terminal device called an outdoor apparatus is known as one of apparatus constructing a system for gas stations. The outdoor apparatus is used to specify fueling conditions and the method of payment for a fuel charge, to pay the fuel charge, and for other purposes. The outdoor apparatus has a housing, which is seated in a special rack set up at a gas station when the outdoor apparatus is in use.
The housing of the outdoor apparatus has a substantially rectangular solid shape with six surfaces comprising a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, a left side surface, and a right side surface. Of the six surfaces constructing the housing of the outdoor apparatus, the top surface, the bottom surface, the left side surface, the right side surface, and the back surface are surrounded by walls of the rack. Meanwhile, the front surface as one of the surfaces constructing the housing of the outdoor apparatus is exposed to a space in front of the rack. The front surface of the housing is normally provided with a single door or double doors lockable with door locking means. The door is provided with a touch panel display, a cash slot for bills and other forms of cash, a receipt slot, and the like.
The door is also provided with the door locking means mentioned above. The door is opened by a person permitted to open the door (hereinafter referred to as “access-granted person”), such as staff at the gas station, by unlocking the door locking means. With the door opened, the access-granted person accesses the interior of the outdoor apparatus to resupply receipt paper, collect cash accumulated in the housing, maintain or repair the outdoor apparatus, and perform other operations.
In Patent Document 1, there is disclosed an example of an outdoor apparatus as an apparatus included in a system for self-service gas stations. The example disclosed in Patent Document 1 is of an outdoor apparatus in which the front surface of the housing is provided with double doors (i.e., a pair of doors). A touch panel display, a receipt slot, an insertion slot to which a card or the like is inserted, and a human presence sensor are provided on one of the doors. A bill insertion slot, a two-dimensional barcode reading port at which a two-dimensional barcode printed on a receipt or the like is read, another insertion slot to which a card or the like is inserted, and an interphone are provided on the other door.
On the thus configured outdoor apparatus, a user first operates the touch panel display to specify fueling conditions and the method of payment of a fuel charge. The user then takes an action corresponding to the operation, such as the insertion of a bill or a card, by following instructions or other messages displayed on the display. In performing the operation, the user moves his/her hand away from an operation surface of the touch panel.